Process of spinning artificial silk and other filaments from cellulose materials



Nov.. 10 1925. 1,560,965-

H P. BASSETTV ET AL PROCESS OF ,SFINNINGkRTIFICIAL SILK AND OTHER FILAM ENTS FROM GELLULOSE MATERIAL Filed May. 1'7, 1:923

1 v HAPPY/ 954mm Patented Noy. 1 0, 1925.

UNITED STATES I v i 1,560,965 ATEN O F E- I HARRY 1 BASSETT, on CYNTHIANA, xsn'rucxr, AnnTHonAs r. BANIGAN, or'ririn- I .ADELPHIA, PE1\LNSYLV ANIA, ASSIGNORS TO MmesBAssET'r & SLAUGHTER, me,

1 orrmLAnELrmA, PENNSYLVANIA, A coaron'A'rxonor PENLLSYLVANIA.

raocsss ofsrmnme 'Aiat rxrrcrAL SILK AND ornnn FILAMn N'rs'FRon oELLULosE v MATERIALS. 1

Application filed May17, 192s. Serial No. 639,655,

l I J v To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that we, HARRY P. BASSETT and THOMAS F. BANIG N, citizens of the United States, residing at Cynthiana, in the countyof Harrison and State of Kentucky,

andiPhiladelphia, in the cdunty of Philadel- I "phia-and State of Pennsylvania, respectivehave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes. of Spinning 1 Artificial Silk and Other Filaments from Cellulose Materials, ofwhich the followingis a specification. This invention relates to processes of'spinning artificial silk and other filaments from cellulose material, and more particularly to a modification of the ordinary dry spinning process-- by meansof which nitro cellulose. cellulose acetate, acetyl nitro cellulose and similar materials are formed into threads or "I filaments. A 5

In the usual dry spinning processes, cellulose materialin solution is forced from a spinneret and delivered through a body of a1rJto permit evaporation of the solvent in which the cellulose material is contained and is then wound on a bobbin or spool, Prac- 'tically all of the solvent is removed from the cellulose material by evaporation during its passage through the body of air.

In the present invention, we provide a spinneret surrounded by-a tube adapted to contain-a body of a suitable liquid and the cellulose material in. solution is forced through this liquid and then through a body of air for a distance considerably greater than the height of the body of liquid and then wound on the bobbin or spool.

By thus modifying the usual dry spinning process, a filament or thread more regular in crosssection" is obtained and it possesses greater spinning strength and elasticity during the spinning ,operation, permitting a wider variation of the tension of the thread during the spinning operation, without breaking the thread.

A further advantage of our process is that much finer threads may be spun by it from the same spinneret than is possible in the ordinary dry spinning process. I In the accompanying drawings, we have diagrammatically shown ,an apparatus particularly suitable for use in practicing the .process.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the usual feed pipe through which the solution containing the cellulose material is delivered to the spinnerets.

ably from to of an inch'in'diamcter This pipe is provided with a suitable branch 2 having and about/1 inches long. As shown, the

upper end of the spinneret is arranged in-;

termediate the ends of the tube and preferably :from 1 th 3 inches from the top of the tube. The bottom of the tube is closed by a support 7 and a body of liquid 8"is arranged therein. Y

The reference numeral 9, designates the thread formed which is carried upwardly through a guide 10 and wound upon a bobs bin or spool 11. The distance from the top of the spinneret to the spool is from 2 to 3 feet and at least ten times the distance from the top of the spinneret to the top of the tube 6.-

The process may be advana'geously employed' in spinning threads or filaments from cellulosce material, in the form of acetyl nitro cellulose described and claimed A in our. copending application Serial No.

638,391. filed May 11, 1923. The material passing through the feed pipe consists of a solution of acetyl nitro cellulose'in acetone in which the acetyl nitro cellulose forms from 20 to 30 per cent, by weight of the total. This material is passed from the spinneret through a body of diluted acetone 8'1". ranged in the tube 6. During its passage through the body of liquid, very little of t e solvent is removed from the acetyl nitrocellulose. The thread leaving the top of the tube is passed through the guide 10 and wound upon thebobbin or spool 11, substantially all of the solvent being evaporated during its passage through the am As stated, the distance from the top of the spinneret to the bottom of spool 1s at least ten times as greatas the distance from the tip of the spinneret to the top of the liquid. The thread or filament formed is of substantially uniform cylindrical cross section as distinguished from the non-uniform thread esS. Wehave also 1 found that the spinning strength of the thread is materially in c'reased and its elasticity during the spinning opei'ationis greater, permitting reater variation in tension with less possi 'ility of breaking the thread and "tlieresulting disadvant ges .a d inconvenience. In place of acetone, other liquids may t-bejplacedin the tube 6, such as water, a weak solution of alcoholfand dilute acetic acid;

Other cellulose materials such as nitro cellulose, and celulose acetate, may be formed into threads or filaments in the same manner. In spinning nitro cellulose according to the process, :a mixture of alcohol and Water may be substituted 'for the diluted acetone ora mixture of acetone and Water as described above may" e employed.

1 In spinning cellulose acetate acco'rdingtd the pr sent invention, the liquid'employed in the 't e 6 depends upon the solvent usedfor the cellulose acetate.'-Where the cellulose acetate is dissolved in a solution of acetone, a mixture of acetone and Water may be employed in the tube 6. I i

It is to be understood that the formof the neeoteee invention herewith shown and describedjs to'be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious "changes in the shape, size, and arrangfement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the. invention orf the"scope of the subjOlIiBCl claims. 9 3 q @We claim: r l. The process of spinningacetyl nitro cellulose Whichcomprises delivering a solution ofacetyl nitro cellulose i'nacetone from spinneret through ashallow body o f acetone and Water, and then delivering the thread formed through a body of air of 'appreciable depth. 2. The process of spinning'acetyl nitro tioii of acetyl nitro cellulose i'nac'etoneirom a spinneret through a body of acetoneand water, and then delivering the thread rformed through'a body of air of at least teiu timeshthed'epth of the liquid.

cellulose which comprises delivering a solu- In testimony 'vvhereof, We aflix our signatures HARRY P.'BAS'SETT;

THOMAS BANIGAN. 

